Means for facilitating locomotion on foot



July 17, 1928. 7

. J. D. M. ROBlNSON MEANS FOR FACILITATING, LOGOMO-HQN on FOOT Filed May 7, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet July 17, 1928.

J. D. M. ROBINSON MEANS FOR FACILITATING LOCOIOTION ON FOOT Filed llay 7, 1926 2 Shouts-Sheet opposite pull on each foot or leg.

Patented July 17,

UNITED STATES JOHN DENIS ,IYIANSZEIEIZJ) 'BOBINSON, OF ROYDON,

MEANS FOR r cILrrArrNeLocoMorIoN on room.

7 Application filed May 7, 1926, Serial No. 107,444, and in Great BritainMayv 18, 925,

This invention relates to means for facilitating locomotion on foot, which an elastic apparatus connects the feet or legs of the wearer. g v

The invention comprises essentially an elastic medium or connector .and improved means for attaching the same to both feet or legs of the wearer, the said elastic medium being otherwise entirely free from attachment or control so that itexerts an equal or The means of attachment for the elastic medium are preferably attached below the knee and the said elastic medium is stretched or otherwise put in a'state of elastic stress each time that a step is taken by the wearer.

By the use of'the'imp'roved appliance it is possible to walk or run at a faster speed and with less fatigue than is possible in the ordinary way.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the improved appliance for facilitating locomotion on foot and Figure 2 is a view showlng the appliance in use. I

Figure 3 is a perspective view'of one of the boots of the user of the appliance, drawn to a larger scale than Figure 2, showing clearly the I mode of attachment of the appliance thereto.

Figure 4 1s a perspective view of another form of the appliance and a t Figure 5 is a perspective view of a portion of'the appliance shown in Figure 4, illustrating a slight modification.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of another form of the appliance and Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the said'appliance in use. p

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the appliance shown in Figures 4 or 6 illustrating a modification and Figure 9 is a perspective view of this modified portion applied to .a boot.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, a is the elastic medium or connector for connecting together the feet 7), b of the wearer. This connector is made preferably of pure solid rubber cord in a single length or of a plurality of fine rubber strands covered with cotton designed to stretch with the elastic and formed at each end with loops 0, d, e to en'- gage under the instep, around the heel and of the type in than. the cord and preferably made of rubber strengthened with canvas insertion. The

cord is first pulled through the arms hand PATENT,OFFICE;' 1

branches of 'two cross-shaped members 7 and g of slightly smaller internal diameter i of the member 7 by a string attached to as:

one endto form the loop .0 of suitable size deslgned to pass'under the waist of one'of the wearers oots from the inner side ofthe said boot, or that nearest to the other foot,

,to' the other or outer sideof the said boot.

'The cord is then pulledthrou'gh thearms j, k of the member g to complete the loop 0 andto form the loop d which passes over the; 1nstep,1 and the cord is then passed through the remaining arms I, m of the memberf, the said members f and gbein located just in front of and slightly belowt e ankle on opposite sides of'the boot; the end of'the cord is then p'as'sedthrough the remaining 'fldesignedtoipassaround the boot heel, the

'looseend of the cord being then bent back otherwise.

' arms n, o'ofthe'member g to form theloop "To "effect the" crossing of the' -cord (1 within the members f and g, it has to be stretched 'to half its diameter, and when the stretching is relieved" the friction set up between-the cord at the crossing points and with the sides of the tubes, is suflicient to resist'an. displacement by the pull on the cord ue t0.

walking, at the sametime the length of the loops and vthe portion connecting the feet together can be'variedto suitdiiferent'sized boots and the stride of the user by suitable tension on the cord to draw itthrough the members f, g. v Q

The loops 0, d and e at each end of the cord a may be instantly engaged with respective'boots by passing each toethrough a loop d, which is pulled on to the instep thenv pulling loops 0 and 6 under the arch below the instep and stretching the latter loop round the back of the heel level with the ankle. Thus a firm grip of eachfoot is obtained and the exact position wherein the pull of the foot is exerted by the cord 41 can be adjusted to suit the wearers gait and any habit of turning the toes abnormally inwards 0r outwards can be corrected.

The loops and cord are preferably blackened so as to be hardly noticeable and where trousersare worn are covered to a large extent by the bottoms thereof.

Normally for walking, the cord at is about a quarter ofaninch in diameter and the unstretched length between the feet about nine inches, but the'thickness of the rubber depends on the speed desired by the pedesa.

in Fi ure 4;, a single elastic cord a is employe as in the arrangement illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, but it is connected at each end to a circular band or strap 9 of elastic webbing capable of adjustment around the ankle by the buckle fastening q. The cord (1 is a vantageously made detachable from the said bands and for this purpose is provided with spring closing hooks 7, 7' designed to engage with ringsor loops 8, s on the bands 9, g; or, the cord a is provided at each end with a'metal eye t, Figure 5, with which, and with the rings 8, split rings a engage.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 6, two elastic cords a a are employed instead of the single cord at to connect the feet together. For this purpose I use an endless cord or ring of about two feet in circumference connected at. opposite points to the ankle bands or straps g, g with this form of the applicance, when in use, as illustrated in Figure 7, the straps g are arranged with the endless cord or ring encirclingthe ankles. e

In Figures 8 and 9 I have shown a strap '0 of elastic webbing connected at its ends to approximately opposite points of the angle band 9 and designed to pass under the waist of the boot similarly to the loop 0, Figures 1 to 8, to prevent the said band rising up the leg of the wearer.

Claims: 1. An appliance for facilitating human locomotion in running or walking comprising ankle engaging members, means to'prevent said ankle engaging members from.

rising upon the leg ofthe wearer and a single elastic element joining and connected only to said ankle members and adapted to be placed under tension with each stride of the wearer so as to extend in a straightline between said members.

2. An appliancefor facilitating human locomotion in running or walking comprising ankle bands, means connecting opposite sides of the bands and extending beneath the instep to preventthe bands from rising when in useand a single elastic element joining and connected only to said bands and having length approximately one-quarter of the stride of the wearer. and adaptedt'o be placed under tension with each stride of the wearer so as to extend in a straight line between said parts.

3. An appliance for facilitating human locomotion in runnin or walking comprismg ankle bands, resilient means'connecting opposite sides of each ofsa1d bands and adapted to extend beneath the waist of the v a necting opposite sides of each band and eX- tending beneath the waist of the foot to prevent the bandfrom risingin use and a single elastic element joining and connected only to said bands, said element constructed to exert a force vin a straight line direction which substantially. constantly tends to force the feet together.

JOHN DENiS mastitis aosmsoa. 

